Outlet box support



April 12, 1932. CLUNY 1,853,203

OUTLET ox SUPPORT Filed Dec. 12, 1930 f Km & g

Patented. Apr. 12, 1932 eN-ireo; STATES RUSSELLF. CLUNY, or; Lennon, CONNECTICUT OUTLET Box surronr' Application filed December '12, 1930. Seria1 N'0. 501,850.1

This inventionrrelates to newand usefulfl holder being shown thereonby brokenlines.

improvements-in supporting means for: outlet boxes and the like used'in'electrical installations.

i [An object of the invention is to provide an improvedsupport for the purpose-stated 1 and which may be-readily applied to either side of an 'outlet boxor switch box or the like andwhichis so constructed that it may :be secured to two sides'of a piece of studding or the like wherebg the box supported by it willbe rigidlyrhel Another'object is to provide a devlce or supportcfor thepurpose stated and having ;,the characteristics described and which in cludes a pa rt to engage the forward face of a pieceof studding and properly'positionthe outlet box'o'r the like so that its face will be substantially flush with the outer or exposed zoisu-rface of a base board or the like.

A further object is to provide a support as stated'and which'may be constructed of comparatively light gauge metal and'whioh may be manufactured and sold ata comparativefly low cost. I

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description takentin connection with the accompanying drawings wherein soiis shown a satisfactory embodiment of the invention. However, it will be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of mak-J ing; clear the pripciplesof' the invention and that the invention is not limited to the details shown but includes all such modifications as fall within'the scope of the appended claims to which reference must be had for a defini-' Fig. 4 is aflview in plan of anoutlet box showing the, improved support in use;

Fig. .5is. a front view showinggaportion of I an outlet I box supported by the improved;

support; V

Fig. 6 isa view looking from the right in Fig- 1. is anelevational view of theisup- Fig. 7 is an end view of an outlet box, the

,Fig. 8 is "a perspective view of a'slightly modified form of the invention.

Referring in detail to the, drawings the support generally indicated at 10 is disclosed as applied to an outlet box 11 although it will be understood thatit is not limited to use in the particular connection shown. The outlet box llincludesend walls 12 to which are secured-side walls 13 as by means of the lugs 14 and screws15,

Eachend wall 12 is, adjacentits free edge, provided with a pair of spaced screws 16 which carry a supporting means (not shown) and which, are supplied with the boxes but whiohI do not propose to use.

My improved support 10 is madefrom sheet or strip stock ofmetal and includes abody portion 17 from one, edge of which projects aIpair of spaced arms 18 and19, These arms are bifurcated asat 20 for a purpose to be described and arm-19 is notched as atn21 to I accommodate the lug14c.

The rear: portion of the body 10 is bent at an angle, preferably at a right angle toprovide the flange portion 22 having openings .23 for; the passage of screws, nails or other se curing means. Projecting rearwardly from oneend ofthe body portion 10 is an arm 24 provided with fanopen ended slot 25 and open-. ings 26 for the passage of securing meansas nailsor screws. I

Fig. 7 clearly shows the application ofthe improved support secured to van outlet box while Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show the support in g use; Toap-ply the support 10 to the box 11' v the screw 15 and the screws 16 are loosened and the holder positioned to have the screws 16 inline with the openended slots 20 while the screw 15 will be in line with the open endedslot 25 in the arm 24.

Next the support is slid forward and the screws tightened-to clamp the support to the outlet box betweenthe box and the heads ofi the-screws.

Outlet box 11 isshown as mounted in an opening 28 (Fig 4)=in' a base board 29 and secured to a joist or two-by-four 30 (Figs. 1,. 5 and 6) by meansof my improved support.

10. The relationship of flange 22 to the remainder of the support is such that when the support is in place on an outlet box and secured to a joist the box will be properly positioned relative to the face of the base board 29 leaving the space 31 between the baseboard and the joist 30 for lathing and plastering. p

As clearly shown, the flange 22 is disposed against the front edge or face of the joist 30 and the arm 24 is disposed against one side of the joist. Nails 32 are passed through the openings 23 in the flange 22 and driven'into the joist while nails 33 are similarly passed through the openings 26 in arm 24 and driven into the joist. It will be obvious that screws or other means may be employed in lieu of the nails 32 and 33.

Since the fastening means 3233 are driven into different sides of the joist the box 11. will be securely held against displacement. Further, the flange 22 and arm 24, being clear of the box, the openings 23 and 26 will be exposed so that the nails 32 and 33 may readily be driven home. Further it will be understood that each end of the box is provided with the screws 15 and the screws 16 and that the support may be applied to either end of the box to attach it to one side or the other of a joist as convenience may dictate.

It will be understood that the flange 22 properly spaces the outlet box relative to the joist. In this connection space 31 is to accommodate lath and plaster or wall board. However, convenience outlets are often provided in the wall above the base board and in that connection no allowance need be made for the thickness of the base board.

In Fig. 8 is shown a slightly modified structure particularly adapted for supporting an outlet box at a point above a base board. According to this form of the invention the arms 18 and 19 are shortened whereby the front edge of the outlet box will project forwardly of the studding a distance equal to the thickness of the lath and plaster or the wall board, no provision being made for the thickness of the base board.

Further, in Fig. 8 the arm 24 is shown somewhat wider, the flange 22 being shortened and the arm 24 having its beginning at the rearof the arm 18. Also, in place of the open ended slot 25, the arm 24 of Fig. 8 is provided with a. keyhole slot 34. With this form of the invention the head of screw 15 will be passed through the enlarged portion of slot 34. and then the support pushed forward after which screw 15 and screws 16 will be tightened.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In combination with an outlet box having spaced screws in one of its walls, a support for said box, said support including a ody having a right angularly disposed perforated mounting flange on one of its edges and extending in a direction away from the body and the box, said body having an open ended slot and a keyhole slot to receive said screws whereby the support may be secured to the box with the body lying flat against one side of the box, a perforated mounting arm on said body and extending from one end thereof and at right angles to the flange, and said arm disposed laterally of the flange, body and box whereby unobstructed access may be had to the arm' to pass securing means through the perforations therein.

2. In combination with an outlet box having spaced screws in one of its walls, a support for said box, said support formed of a single piece of metal including a body portion, a pair of arms extending from oneed e ofsaid body and'in the claim of the b0 y and adapted to lie flat against and be secured to the outlet box, said arms having slots opening through their free ends for the reception of the screws in the wall of the outlet box whereby to secure the body to the outlet box,a flange at the edge of the body opposite that from which the arms project and arranged at right angles to the body and at one side of and projecting in a direction away from the outlet box whereb unobstructed access may be had to the ange for the purpose of passing securing means through the flange, said flange having an opening for the passage of securing means, an arm extending rearwardly from one end of the body and in a direction away from the first mentioned arms and in the plane of the body but laterally of the first arms whereby to be disposed laterally of the outlet box, said rearwardly extending arm having a slot therein opening through the forward end thereof for the reception of another of the screws in the wall of the outlet box, said rearwardly extending arm having an opening for the passage of securing means, and

said rearwardly extending arm arranged laterally of the outlet box whereby the work of passing securing means through the arm will not be obstructed by the outlet box.

3. A wall box support formed of a single piece of metal and including a flat elongated body portion, means for securing a wall box to said body with the body disposed flat against a side of the box, a flange at one longitudinal edge of the body and arranged to extend in a direction away from the body and box to which thebody'is secured whereby to be disposed laterally of the body and box to permit unobstructed access to the flange, said flange having an opening for the passage of a securing means in parallel relation with the box, an arm formed with said body at oneend of said flange and extending beyond the flange at right angles thereto and in the plane of the body, said arm having an opening forthe passage of securing means in right angular relation to the box,

and said arm disposed laterally of the body and. box whereby to permit unobstructed access to the arm for the passage of the securing means.- Signed at New London, in the county of New London, and State of Connecticut, this 1st day-of December, A. D. 1930.

RUSSELL F. CLUNY. 

